Microbes living at hydrothermal vents act as important “filters” for compounds like sulfur, iron, and managanese that emerge from deep below the seafloor. We will sequence the metagenomes and metatranscriptomes of microbes and viruses living in, on, around, and below hydrothermal systems in order to understand the role they play in global biogeochemical cycling. This work would provide greater insight into microbial processes mediating biogeochemical processes related to elements like sulfur, iron, and manganese, which can provide important insights into the process of bioremediation.
Proposer: Rika Anderson, Carleton College
Proposal: Microbial and viral mediation of biogeochemical cycles from source to sink in hydrothermal vent systems